Las Vegas Weekly

May 6, 2010 · 12:03 PM

Superstar chefs fired up for four days of 4th Annual Vegas Uncork’d

By Robin Leach

Star chefs Bobby Flay and Cat Cora.

Photo: Scott Harrison/Retna/www.harrisonphotos.com

It’s the ultimate epicurean extravaganza! Four days of fabulous food, celebrated chefs and culinary kings and queens kick off the 4th Annual Vegas Uncork’d celebration today. It’s the largest star chef event of the year with more than 30 tastings, seminars, demonstrations and Masters Dinners.

Our local star chefs are joined by top names including Wolfgang Puck, Michael Mina, Bobby Flay, Bradley Ogden and an amazing overseas contingent of Joel Robuchon, Guy Savoy, Alain Ducasse and the newest Parisian arrival on the Strip Pierre Gagnaire of Twist at the Mandarin Oriental in MGM’s CityCenter.

Bon Appetit sponsors the events at eight Strip properties. It all begins today with Mayor Oscar Goodman’s welcome to the VIPs at a champagne ceremony in Alain Ducasse’s Mix atop The Hotel at Mandalay Bay. In fact, Oscar will attempt to saber the cork out of a giant Methuselah-sized champagne bottle.

Then it’s off to Caesars Palace for the Masters Dinners in Bobby, Bradley and Guy’s restaurants, as well as Rao’s. I’ll be filming 10 segments for the syndicated TV series Daytime over the next three days for broadcast this month and June. Our first segment with Bobby is all set.

Later tonight, our cameras also will roll at Shibuya in MGM Grand for the ultimate late-night sushi and sake party. Then tomorrow at lunchtime, we’ll interview Wolfgang Puck at his CUT steakhouse in the Palazzo after he does a demo and lecture in the Tuscan kitchen at the Bellagio.

Tomorrow night is the glittering Grand Tasting poolside in the Garden of the Gods at Caesars Palace. Celebrities and star chefs set to walk the red carpet include Bon Appetit Editor Barbara Fairchild, Jersey Boys star Rick Faugno, crooner Matt Goss, actor Chazz Palminteri, actress Laura Prepon, comedienne Rita Rudner, chefs Bobby, Joel, Guy, Cat Cora, Julian Serrano, Rene Lenger, Hubert Keller, Rick Moonen, Francois Payard and Luciano Pellegrino and figure skater Johnny Weir, who is staging and hosting the Bellagio gala Saturday night dinner with a Fendi fashion show choreographed and designed around the wonderful world of wine and food.

After the Grand Tasting, even more chefs join the fun tomorrow night with a celebrity blackjack tournament for the second year outdoor at Steve Wynn’s Encore pool. Todd English, Pierre Gagnaire, Charlie Palmer, Jet Tila, Alex Stratta, Laurent Tourondel, David Walzog, Carlos Guia and Kim Canteenwalla join those festivities. Two-time winner chef Paul Bartolotta promises to defend his title and win again for the hat trick.

Saturday at lunchtime, the Wynn and Encore chefs play host to an extraordinary foodies’ feast. And then at nighttime, Charlie Palmer and Alain Ducasse throw a beachside barbecue at Mandalay Bay Beach. Over at Azure Pool in the Palazzo, there will be an after-hours party, Crushed: Wine That Rocks, with Mario Batali’s restaurant partner Joe Bastianich and with Anthrax rocker Scott Ian and the electrifying Six Foot Nurse band. Venetian/Palazzo stars Chazz Palminteri and Rick Faugno are scheduled to attend with a contingent of the celebrity chefs.

It all wraps up Sunday with the Mother’s Day luncheon hosted by the “Pope of Cuisine” Joel Robuchon at his MGM Grand three-star and five-diamond restaurant. His chef there, Claude Le Tohic, this week won a James Beard Award for Best Chef Southwest.

Vegas DeLuxe will cover each day of the elegant extravaganza with exclusive photo galleries, and I’ll send out live Twitter reports, photos and videos, too, so be sure to check back often for all the updates.

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

Follow Robin Leach on Twitter at Twitter.com/Robin_Leach.

Follow Vegas DeLuxe on Twitter at Twitter.com/vegasdeluxe.

Follow VDLX Editor Don Chareunsy on Twitter at Twitter.com/VDLXEditorDon.

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